Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-11-30 Special Meeting NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 SPECIAL MEETING, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 PAGE 269 ASSEMBLY The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners met for a Joint Special Meeting with the New Hanover County Board of Education on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. in the Assembly Room of the New Hanover County Courthouse, 24 North Third Street, Wilmington, North Carolina. County Commissioners present: Chair Julia Olson-Boseman; Vice-Chair Deb Hays; Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr.; Commissioner Bill Rivenbark; and Commissioner Rob Zapple. School Board members present: Chair Stefanie Adams; Vice-Chair Nelson Beaulieu; Members Stephanie Kraybill; Judy Justice; Hugh McManus; Stephanie Walker; and Pete Wildeboer. Other attendees: County Manager Chris Coudriet; New Hanover County Schools Superintendent Dr. Charles Foust; County Attorney Wanda M. Copley; Clerk to the Board of Commissioners Kymberleigh G. Crowell; and Administrative Assistant Crystal Buie. Chair Olson-Boseman and Chair Stefanie Adams called their respective Boards to order for the Special Meeting reporting that the purpose of the meeting is allow time for discussion between the elected bodies. UPDATE ON TEACHER ASSISTANT PAY County Manager Coudriet stated that as noted in the memorandum sent to the Board and Superintendent Dr. Foust on November 29, 2021, upon implementation of the new state salary schedule, New Hanover County Schools (NHCS) will supplement the increase to move teacher assistant pay to a minimum of $14 per hour. He also thinks there is discussion whether that is done with local or state funds. Information was received today from Senator Lee's office that in the second year of the biennium, teacher assistant pay will go up by 2.5%, to $15 per hour. In response to questions, NHCS Chief Financial Officer Mary Hazel Small stated that she does not have information on how NHCS compares to other counties. The state’s initiative this year was to get the minimum pay up to $13 per hour for all non-licensed employees and that will be a push for most counties. NHCS went to a $13 per hour minimum two years ago and is sort of using the money from the state to move from $13 to $14 per hour. In the second year, all state employees will move to $15 per hour. State employees of the Department of Administration moved to $15 per hour at the same time the County did two years ago but did not include school systems at that time. She does not know what Wake and Mecklenburg counties are paying teacher assistants. She thinks the new pay scale will begin either at $2,400 or $2,600 and then it will move to what is an hourly rate of $18. In response to questions, Ms. Small explained that the state has ranges for different jobs. For example, the state wants a school district to continue using state funds for teacher assistants and bus drivers if already doing so within the state ranges. Other positions have ranges that are more of suggestions. NHCS is within the state range and will increase the minimum and maximum pay by 2.5% next year. Most teacher assistants are state and federally funded with a handful being locally funded, so the range requirement is with state funds because it is a state budget. This does not mean that NHCS cannot set its own pay scale, and if it is higher than the state range then it will have to be supplemented locally. All employees are on the same pay scale, regardless funding source. The state dictates the state and federal budget in terms of how much will be funded, then publish the teacher pay scale. The teacher supplement is a local supplement to the state scale. The state does not publish scales for non-certified employees, only ranges. A county may add a local supplement, or it can choose to pay the portion above that out of local funds. For teacher assistants and bus drivers, state funds cannot be used to pay more than the state ranges and both of those jobs are typically state funded. COVID funds are non-recurring but can be used to supplement and NHCS is doing that for school-based instructional, clerical support, and systemwide trades who are supporting schools. The NHCS Board of Education (BOE) has approved the use of those funds to provide a $1,000 bonus to be paid in December. As to if there is any money for supplements to use for the next year, it is up to the BOE how to use the Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds with the funds received to date. It is possible there will be some savings that could be repurposed. There is a longer list than originally budgeted that staff would bring to the BOE with options for spending any generated savings. There is already a plan for the extra funds. Chair Adams reminded the BOE that during the December 7, 2021 meeting, NHCS staff will be presenting the salary schedule and updates on the compensation audit. Commissioner Barfield stated that the problem to be solved is how to hire people who to want to work at a fair wage that provides a living wage for their families. There is still a long way to go to reach that point, but it is doable. In response to questions, County Manager Coudriet stated that based upon the data County staff received, the average annual pay for an existing teacher assistant is $25,600 which equates to $14.88 per hour based on 10 months of work or 315 days. Ms. Small reported that all teacher assistants, unless in a shared position, work eight- hour days, 40 hours a week and most receive full state benefits due to being full time. Anyone working over 30 hours in a regular permanent position receives full benefits. County Manager Coudriet confirmed that the area median income (AMI) for New Hanover County is around $56,000. He further confirmed that teaching assistants are at about 50% of the AMI. In response to questions, Superintendent Dr. Foust stated that all employees, including teacher assistants, are important. When talking about one group, there is a tendency to leave out another group. NHCS is doing a salary NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 SPECIAL MEETING, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 PAGE 270 study which will provide a more comprehensive algorithm. The salary study just started today, and the goal is for it to be done by February. When it comes back, decisions will have to be made on what to do and how many years is it going to take the fix the problem. A brief discussion was held about the contribution teacher assistants make to the classroom. It was noted that teacher assistants help with a wide variety of classroom matters. It was also noted of the need to remember that the school system is funded by the state and to advocate to state legislators of the need to invest in education because these students are the future of this community. With places such as Dominos paying $18 to $20 per hour, it is important to take a hard look at the salary study to ensure staff retention. UPDATE ON MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF County Manager Coudriet explained that by using ARP funds, the county was able to bring on 19 additional school based mental health counselors who are licensed clinical therapists. This brings the total to 36 staff that are dedicated full time to school based mental health. Of those 36 positions, there are currently five vacancies. Both Murray Middle School and Myrtle Grove Middle School are at capacity with their caseloads, so resources are being redirected to meet the needs of those schools. One of the fundamental shifts that has happened over the last year is that school based mental health counselors have gone from being 10-month employees to 12-month employees, so they are now able to provide service and maintain communication and treatment with students for 12 months out of the year, not only during the months that they are in school. In response to Board questions, Assistant Superintendent Julie Varnam explained that her office has been in close contact with Donna Fayko to identify where there are gaps and where there might need to be even temporary positions filled and where there may be overages. With 45 schools there has been discussion on whether 36 school based mental counselors are enough. The one thing that is different about the school based mental health counselors from the school based social workers, counselors, and psychologist is that the school based mental health counselors can only provide direct services to students with parental permission, so it is not necessarily based on the average daily membership (ADM) or even enrollment of a school. It is based on the number of families that are willing to participate in that type of service. The district is always talking about what those caseloads and assignments need to look like and are ready to adjust if 36 positions are too many or not enough to serve 45 schools. County Manager Coudriet explained that Judge Corpening reminded him that in 2014, New Hanover County only had 13 school based mental health counselors across the entire system. Although 13 was good for 2014, with 36 authorized positions today, New Hanover County continues to make a huge investment. Also, the school based mental health counselors are split between schools as needed. In response to questions about parental permission, Ms. Varnam explained that the program is opt-in only. Parents must provide explicit permission for students to access school based mental health services, and that is consistent with mental health services provided in the community. The school makes it known to the families that this service is available, and then sometimes specific referrals are made as needed. In the event of a crisis situation above and beyond the school based mental health therapists in the building, the district has school social workers that sometimes have the same level of credentials. The district also has school counselors, crisis team members, behavioral specialists, and a school psychologist. The school based mental health counselors are not the only persons that can be utilized for crisis situations when in fact, the school may really want to utilize the crisis team that is trained at the school. Discussion ensued regarding the number of positions and vacancies. County Manager Coudriet explained that the board added 19 positions for this fiscal year. The number was proposed in consultation with Health and Human Services and NHCS staff based on what the need is and where there is consent. County Manager Coudriet confirmed there are five vacancies, mainly supervisory positions. In response to Board questions, Ms. Varnam stated that one part of making sure the program is known to parents is by the schools providing the general awareness that it exists. The next part that is extremely critical is making sure those immediate referrals happen when they are needed. County Manager Coudriet reiterated that the school based mental health counselors are 12-month employees and are available even when school is out unless they have taken personal time off that they have earned. Chair Adams thanked the Commissioners for their continued support and the commitment to supporting the mental health of NHCS students. UPDATE AND PRESENTATION BY SCHOOL STAFF ON NHCS ARP FUND ALLOCATION AND SPENDING Superintendent Dr. Foust commented that there is an end date on the ESSER funds and highlighted some of the items that the funds have been used for such as new instructional coaches and new guidance counselors. Discussion ensued regarding positions that have been funded with ESSER funds. In response to Board questions, Superintendent Dr. Foust explained that ESSER funds are specific, and any repurposing of funds would have to be approved by the state. Commissioner Barfield stated that when the county first started discussing the ARP funds that he shared with County Manager Coudriet the importance of explaining to applicants that they are filling time limited positions as the funds are not reoccurring. The county has always been upfront about time limited positions. Some are brought on full-time, and some are not after the funding ends. Discussion ensued regarding the plan for COVID funding. Ms. Small explained that the plan was approved by the BOE in May 2021, included in the initial budget, and the actual dollars were approved in July 2021. The school NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 SPECIAL MEETING, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 PAGE 271 district had three weeks from the time the funds were allotted to turn around the three-year plan. NHCS staff is now in the process of amending the plan as they know the actual salaries. In response to Board questions about Brogden Hall, Ms. Small explained that NHCS Facilities staff took a budget amendment to the BOE to repurpose some of the capital projects and believes it will come to the Board of th Commissioners on December 20. The amendment repurposes existing capital projects and uses part of the fund balance. The school district also deferred some capital projects and pulled some savings from a completed project line. Assistant Superintendent Eddie Anderson clarified that the funding in the budget transfer Ms. Small referred to is specific to repairing the structural issues with Brogden Hall gym floor. There are many more needs at New Hanover High School, some of which are in Brogden Hall and the memorial building which are not included in the budget transfer. NHCS Facilities Director Leanne Lawrence gave un update on the Brogden Hall gym floor project. The $2.7 million is a number that staff has worked out with the design team, the structural engineers, the construction management at risk (CM@R) team. Staff is in the process of working to complete the construction documents in December. In the meantime, the pre-bid package has been put out. There are a lot of long lead time items due to supply chain issues. Tomorrow the early bid package will go out so that there is enough information from the construction documents for the architects or engineers to go ahead and bid some of the initial work, which includes steel framing that needs to get on order now so it will arrive in time to put in place and complete the project. The project is scheduled to be completed in late July or early August of 2022. The full remainder of the bid package will be put out in December for bids to be received in January which will be presented to the BOE in early February. The presentation will include the full guaranteed maximum price (GMP) from the CM@R team. The entire foundation will have to be removed. There will also be miscellaneous work done in the building to spruce things up such as new bleachers and a fresh coat of paint. Ms. Lawrence reiterated that there are several other issues associated with that campus that will not be addressed at this time but utilizing the existing structure and making repairs to it is the right direction. She further stated that there are not leaks in that immediate area but there are some adjacent office spaces where there have been leaks reported and some ongoing issues. While the focus is on the restoration of the structural integrity of the gymnasium, the maintenance department is working in parallel on some of the ongoing leak issues. COMMUNITY VIOLENCE INTERVENTION UPDATE Chair Olson-Boseman asked County Manager Coudriet to provide the Community Violence Intervention Update which was presented to the Board of Commissioners on November 15, 2021. County Manager Coudriet presented the following:  Community Violence Interruption - Joint Board Update:  Since October 18 and November 15:  Identified \[possible\] funding alternatives to using principal from the $350 million revenue stabilization and mental health, behavioral health, and substance abuse escrows  Identified a proposed funding plan and timing strategy from January 2022 through June 30, 2025  Debriefed “Thursday night” community team on proposed funding plan and strategy:  Calibrated the approach based on team input  Set a hardscape strategy for funding in consecutive fiscal years between County Commissioners and Education Board  Alternative Funding Options:  $36.5 million through June 30, 2025:  $10.5 million in American Rescue Plan redirection  $14.2 million in fund balance (over 21% available)  $4.5 million in escrows’ interest  $7.3 million in organic revenue growth (property and sales tax)  The Strategy and Timing:  Priority 1 – Wraparound Services (FY 22)  Priority 2 – Community Communication (FY 22)  Priority 3 – Relationship Building and Elimination of Education Barriers (FY 23)  Priority 4 – At-risk Training and Intervention (FY 24)  Proposed Investments:  Wraparound Service (FY 22):  Community Resource Coordinators  Elements’ expansion  Too Good for Violence  Case Management  SROs at focus elementary schools  Community Care Coordination  Fixed facility designs  Community Communication (FY 22):  Community Call Center  Threat Assessment  Relationship Building and Elimination of Education Barriers (FY 23):  Pre-K expansion  Non-profit capacity building NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 SPECIAL MEETING, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 PAGE 272  Elementary SROs  School transportation supports  At-risk Training and Intervention (FY 24):  Full cost of attendance support for career and technical certifications  Boarding school capital (post design)  Boarding school operations (post construction)  First Ask:  Now likely January 24, 2022:  Redirected ARP funds  Post approved audit fund balance proceeds  $3.3 million for remainder of FY 22:  Priority 1 – wraparound services  Priority 2 – community communication  Initiate development of a full-service grocery for the Northside to complement the Northside Food-Coop County Manager Coudriet stated that the New Hanover Community Endowment is set to make its first set of grants in the fall of 2022. What has been presented is predicated on using existing available resources that are immediately available and within the control of an elected body to start working the problem now. Regarding Pre-K expansion, the county is also looking at other revenues within county government including the organic growth in sales and property tax to double what is there. He is not suggesting that the county be the single funder of the expansion of Pre-K but to double what it is currently there. Discussion ensued regarding the community forums. County Manager Coudriet explained that there is quite a bit of overlap between the group that is primarily public sector, staff, students, parents, and teachers that are meeting on the school safety piece and there is an extensive amount of overlap for people that also part of the community-based meetings. County staff is going to be proposing and trying to work with Dr. Faust and his team to reconvene the School Safety Group, probably in December, and talk in depth about the community survey. It is important to make sure that the six or so students that were part of the last meeting are there to hear the results. There was a lot of informing of how that was developed and the question specifically from students and trying to channel what their parents would be comfortable in communicating. Commissioner Barfield stated that he was pleased to see a public service announcement (PSA) on television regarding school safety which included District Attorney Ben David, Sheriff Ed McMahon, and Superintendent Dr. Foust. That kind of PSA is important to bring the community together and to educate on saying something if a person sees something. He also suggested that there should be a conversation around food desserts and food banks distributing food to communities and the potential for a partnership to do something on the north side. Chief Strategy Officer Jennifer Rigby presented the following community survey results:  School and Community Safety Public Input Survey Results:  Background:  Survey was launched on October 18, 2021 and remained open until November 1, 2021  Available online in English and Spanish  Paper copies distributed  2,240 total responses – 1% of total population  Demographic Data: NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 SPECIAL MEETING, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 PAGE 273  Response Map:  Key Takeaways:  Respondents feel safe in their neighborhood  Believe some public schools are safer than others; do not believe all schools are safe  Feel more comfortable reporting suspicious or inappropriate activity to law enforcement than school officials  Generally, do not believe corrective action will be taken or their identity will be protected  Believe bullying is a problem; do not feel reports about bullying are adequately addressed and responded to by school administration  Most respondents do not know where to find information or receive communication related to an emergency at a school in a timely manner  It is not easy to find information about programs or resources that can support a person’s social, emotional, and physical needs; do not regularly access community programs Commissioner Barfield stated that there is a need for the school system to adequately address student fears noting that when a kid comes to a teacher or administrator about being bullied, they need to be taken seriously. As a parent with kids who have gone through the school system here as he did, he can attest to that challenge and the role implicit biases that plays in it. It does play a role in hearing kids. It is not always about race, but sometimes it is looking at how a person dresses, the zip code they come from, or how they talk, and that bias kicks in. He reiterated that it is important to listen and to respond or not respond based on what is being heard. He added that if the county does not respond, it will continue to have the same problems in the community. In response to Board questions, Ms. Rigby confirmed that women accounted for most of the survey respondents, at 70%. A lot of effort was made to ensure that the county did reach out to other communities, so staff felt good about the responses received. Commissioner Zapple stated that his key takeaways are that there is a real lack of trust in law enforcement and the school system. The results also show that only about 16% of bullying reports are adequately addressed. There is some real work to do here, and this should be a real wake up call. Mr. McManus stated that bullying is the single most important issue in the school system. The problem with bullying is social media and somehow this group must figure out how to deal with it. He added that when bullying is reported, it should remain confidential. Vice-Chair Hays reiterated to Mr. McManus’s point that a big part of the plan is looking at having community communications and a call center. County Manager Coudriet stated that the idea behind the community communications and call center is to build trust, have a place to report information, and then get that information into the right hands. Those hands will not always be law-enforcement or the school system, but maybe support within one of the community non-profit agencies. NEW HANOVER COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BOOK 35 SPECIAL MEETING, NOVEMBER 30, 2021 PAGE 274 In response to Board questions, County Manager Coudriet explained that part of the threat assessment is to have the adults that are in the system, in the schools, and in the community, able to detect and deal with threats. Policy also needs to be established around social media monitoring in a way that it is not limited and specific to the school system. This is not a problem of violence in the school system, but in the community. Although this is a community-based issue, if there are school specific trainings or interventions that support what is being done, they need to be looked at. There is going to be an effort on the threat assessment to make sure that all adults in the school system go through training if they are willing to be exposed to it and understand how to identify a threat. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION In response to Board questions regarding ESSER I, II, and III, Superintendent Dr. Foust explained that it is the governor’s emergency relief fund and the coronavirus relief fund which expires on December 31, 2021. Ms. Small explained that ESSER I, II, and III were the grants that were directed for the school systems to set the priorities rather than the state legislature. A lot of the grants came to NHCS with the purposes already defined. ESSER III is from the American Recovery Plan. There were three different federal acts (ESSER I, II, and III) and each allotted 90% of that funding directly to local education agencies (LEAs). How it is used still must be approved by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) which is why those are larger amounts. ADJOURNMENT Hearing no further discussion, Chair Olson-Boseman and School Board Chair Adams thanked everyone for attending and adjourned the meeting at 3:56 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kymberleigh G. Crowell Clerk to the Board Please note that the above minutes are not a verbatim record of the Special Meeting of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners. The entire proceedings are available online at www.nhcgov.com.